Bring Me That Horizon
by Winter Enchantment
Summary: When Kael'thas meets a pirate on the boat taking him far away from everything he ever wanted, he makes a choice. Explicit.


When Kael'thas was returned from his supervised constitutional around the deck of the ship he hadn't expected to find a man in his cabin. But the man was there all the same, rifling through the various traveling cases that had been stacked against the wall of the already-small room. He wore the uniform of the ship's guard, and if it weren't for the slight hum of enchantment coming from the wide-brimmed hat he wore Kael wouldn't have thought twice about his presence. No mere ship's guard would own an item like that; enchantments being as expensive as they were, now that…

Kael forcefully turned his thoughts away from their dangerously personal track and focused on the strange man. He tried to shuffle along the wall away from the door as quietly as he could while staying out of reach, the smallness of the cabin hindering him. For the first time he was thankful for the plain clothes he had been given, the simple shoes and light cotton of his shirt and trousers moving much more freely than the ornate robes he usually wore—had worn, he reminded himself viciously—and allowing him the silence to so far avoid the man's notice, or so he hoped.

He didn't know what exactly was in each trunk; his only participation in their packing was to watch the servants go meticulously through his things while listening distractedly as his father told him why this journey was so important. Some of the trunks weren't even his at all, packed instead with his dowry.

Suddenly he was furious, here was some stranger rifling through the only things in the world that were really his anymore as though there was no consequence to his actions. There wasn't a consequence, Kael knew, and that made it sting all the more. Drawing himself up with all the regality he could muster as a Prince—even one who had just been sold into marriage—he addressed the strange man.

"Who are you and what do you think you're doing?" he demanded, Common clumsy and bitter on his tongue. His lilting accent drew condescending looks and thinly veiled mockery from his 'escorts', and the niggling thought that this man might simply turn and taunt him was nearly enough to curl Kael's hands to claws: nails sharp and ready to tear into whatever he could reach.

The man straightened up slowly. He was taller than Kael had thought, towering over him by nearly a head. Turning to see who had addressed him, the man gave a view of what he must have been searching for; fabulous jewels sparkled from a case that had been tucked into one of the trunks. More of the dowry he'd never known he had, Kael thought bitterly.

"No one in particular," the man said in perfect Thalassian, sweeping off the magicked hat to reveal a long braid of pale hair and unusual dark eyes, the enchantment disguising his features falling away. Kael gaped at him; this man was an elf. There was a elf going through his things on the ship that was taking him away to be married to some stranger for the sake of an alliance; to be a prisoner until his 'betrothed' died and he was allowed to go home again.

"As, to what I'm doing," the elf continued, "I heard there was quite the prize aboard this vessel, but with nothing in the hold it seems that must mean these," he gestured to the jewels behind him, but he looked intently at Kael as though trying to see through him and discover some secret.

He doesn't know, Kael realized. Dressed in plain clothes and packed in with his luggage, the other elf likely thought he was a servant or a steward overseeing the delivery of the trunks. Perhaps he was curious as to why there was an elf on a human ship, but the stranger probably had no idea he was a Prince at all. Kael knew that his father hadn't intended to announce his marriage until he was 'safely wed', so there was no reason to imagine that this person—who by his own admission was here to steal from him—even knew who he was.

"I…" Kael found himself at a loss for words, "What do you intend to do?" he asked, the musical cadence of his native tongue soothing even as he looked over the other again and noticed his sword-belt and the calluses on his hands.

"Nothing much," was the amicable reply Kael received, "I'm going to take these," the elf said as he smartly snapped the case shut and then stooped again to retrieve a satchel that until now had gone unnoticed on the floor, tucking the case into the satchel he swung it over his shoulder then seated himself on one of the closed trunks, "Then I'm going to stay here for awhile before leaving your lovely company."

He smiled at Kael when he said the last, and in spite of himself Kael warmed and felt heat rise in his cheeks. Slowly he edged his way over to the small bed and sat down as well, drawing his legs up and tucking them under him as he watched the other elf.

"I do hope you aren't planning on trying to stop me?" the elf inquired, he managed to make it sound pleasant and not as though he was asking Kael as though he would try and interrupt his robbery.

Kael wasn't sure what to say, so he stayed silent; studying the other elf in the dim light of his tiny cabin. He seemed to have settled in to wait for something, stretching his long legs out in front of him and leaning back against the stacked trunks with such a lack of concern Kael was privately envious. He dropped his hat on the trunk beside him and then smiled at Kael again, "Oh, don't mind me."

It was impossible not to mind him, though, and as time slowly dragged by Kael found himself attempting to engage the other in conversation—if only to hear his own language again.

"So…do you rob people often?" he asked, at a loss for anything else.

The other elf looked over to him with amusement sparkling in his eyes, his mouth quirking up slightly, "I make something of a career out of it." he said, "How about yourself, do you sail often?" the elf asked sardonically.

Kael felt his face crumple, and the other elf jumped up and came to his side. To hear his situation inquired about so flippantly was too much, tears slid down his cheeks as he turned away from the other. Staring at the floor, he watched the other shift his weight nervously while trying to will away his tears.

"I…if I've cause you any offense I apologize," the pirate said to him, and the genuine concern was the nicest thing he'd hear since he had boarded this awful ship. The pirate sat next to him on the bed and awkwardly patted his back until he stopped crying. Slowly Kael turned back to the other elf, "No, I never expected to say this to someone who was robbing me but it's no offense of yours," he said as he wiped at his tears. The pirate produced a handkerchief out of one of the pockets of his jacket and handed it to Kael before pulling out a pocket-watch and checking the time.

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Kael asked incredulously, suddenly wondering how the pirate expected to get away with his theft when they were on a ship in the middle of the ocean.

The pirate smiled regretfully at him, "As sad as I am to leave your lovely company, I'm afraid it is time for me to go."

He stood then, adjusting the satchel and sweeping his hat up from the trunk it'd been laid on before turning for the door. Kael still held his handkerchief clutched in a hand, and as he watched the pirate head for the door he suddenly felt as thought the entire room was closing in on him. This was his chance; this was his one chance to escape from the prison of a cold marriage and the sentence of a human lifetime.

"Wait!" he called, hating how unsure his voice sounded, but the pirate stopped and turned back to him, "Take me with you," he said quietly.

The pirate considered him for a long moment; Kael didn't know what he saw in his face, but at last he seemed satisfied. "Can you swim?" the pirate asked.

Baffled Kael nodded, and the pirate smiled brilliantly. His entire face seemed to light up, and somehow Kael's mood lifted as well and he smiled tentatively back.

"Come along then," said the pirate, beckoning for Kael to follow him as jammed his hat onto his head with his other hand and then gently eased the door open, peering out into the passage for guards. When he seemed satisfied he opened the door fully and stepped out, Kael followed him.

Where the pirate moved silently through training, Kael managed only by the grace of the cloth shoes he wore and careful attention to where he put his feet. In no time at all they were on deck. Night had fallen, and the darkness hid them away from the few people on deck. The guard was on the far end of the ship and paying them no mind, while the crew was busy changing shifts and heading to dinner.

The pirate sat down as near to the side as he could and removed his boots, tucking them and his hat into the satchel, as well as Kael's shoes once he had done the same. Then the pirate shifted over, taking Kael gently by the arm and motioning for him to be quiet before motioning toward the edge and miming going overboard. Kael was suddenly terrified; here he was, going off with a strange pirate, but the thought of the fate that awaited him when the ship docked in Lordaeron and the knowledge that the guard would be alerted when they arrived at his cabin with dinner and found him gone steeled his resolve. He scooted to the edge and then jumped.

The water was freezing, it hit Kael like a slap to the face and he thrashed, nearly breathing some of it in. A strong hand grasped the back of his shirt and pulled him to the surface. He choked on the air and stared wide-eyed up at the pirate who held him.

"Are you alright?" was all the pirate asked him and when he nodded he was released.

The pirate spent a long moment studying the clear night sky before choosing a direction and starting to swim. Kael followed, managing to keep up for a time before exhaustion began to set in. The pirate didn't seem to mind towing him though, and they continued on for a while more.

Eventually Kael spotted land; the shore of what looked to be a small island rapidly growing in the distance. When the pirate's feet touched the ground he waded a few paces before releasing Kael to stumble along beside him. They wandered up the shore a ways, the water draining from their clothes and the satchel.

A thought occurred to Kael and he turned to the pirate, "Why did you agree to bring me along?" he asked.

"Because you are exceedingly lovely and seemed exceedingly unhappy," the pirate replied, leading Kael up a path through some trees and eventually to a cave that looked out over the natural inlet of the island.

Kael was glad the darkness hid his blush as well as his shivering, his sodden clothes slowly beginning to cling as they dried in the cool night breeze. "I don't even know your name," Kael said.

"Ah, forgive me," the pirate said as he stopped and turned to Kael, giving a courtly bow he introduced himself, "I am Lor'themar Theron."

"Oh." was all Kael could manage to say. Lor'themar Theron, the most infamous Lord to ever tire of the constant power struggles of Quel'Thalas' nobility and set forth on one of the most daring, dangerous, and—as asserted by the insatiable gossips at court—romantic careers of piracy known. He had been a young apprentice when Lord Theron had left, and hadn't even been presented at court yet, but he could remember the way rumors had spread like wildfire through the city, as well as some fond reminiscences as to the exceedingly fine quality of his character and his form.

When Lor'themar led him into the cave he followed, stopping near the mouth of the cave while the other rustled around near the back before striking a match and using it to light a small fire that had been arranged. The light from the fire revealed another satchel had been stowed at the back of the cave along with what looked like several blankets and a bedroll.

"You planned this," Kael blurted, and Lor'themar turned to look at him bemusedly.

"Yes?" he answered, his confusion at Kael's statement obvious. Kael felt silly then, of course he'd planned it. He'd gone onto the ship to find whatever was valuable enough to warrant that heavy a guard and steal it. It occurred to Kael that by agreeing to take him along, Lor'themar essentially had. For some reason he found this to be hilarious and burst into laughter, slowly descending into hysterics before Lor'themar took him by the shoulders and led him over to the fire.

The warmth felt wonderful, and as he stood by it his shivers slowly abated. Lor'themar unrolled and shook out the bedroll before arranging it comfortably near the fire, doing the same with all but two of the blankets, which he shook out but then set aside. He turned to Kael, "I'm afraid we'll have to share the bedroll," he said, "but if you take off your wet clothes you'll be much warmer in a blanket."

Heeding his own advice, Lor'themar began to strip out of the guard's uniform, laying the clothes over the rocks to dry as he removed them and taking his boots, hat, and Kael's shoes out of the satchel and setting them out to dry as well. The case he set down near the bedroll and the other satchel, before he helped himself to one of the blankets and settled down onto the bedroll. Kael knew he was blushing but couldn't help it, all of the despairing compliments he had heard paid to Lor'themar Theron after he'd left seemed to be true. He carefully followed suit, laying his clothes out to dry before bundling himself up in a blanket and sitting as far from Lor'themar on the bedroll as he could.

Lor'themar looked over at him warmly, seemingly pleased that Kael had taken his advice. Everything that had happened seemed surreal to Kael; here he was, so far from where he had been just a few hours ago he could hardly believe it. As he shuffled a bit closer to the fire, Lor'themar opened the satchel of supplies that had been left in the cave and drew out well-packed provisions and a water-skin. He offered a large portion to Kael, who accepted reluctantly, "I'm not sure I'm this hungry…" he tried to say, but Lor'themar cut him off.

"You are, try eating and you'll see."

Kael looked suspiciously at his food for a few moments before trying some; after a few bites he was suddenly ravenously hungry, and devoured what he'd been given. It occurred to him that he should be embarrassed of such an uncouth display, but when his situation was best described as 'naked in a cave with an infamous pirate' it seemed ridiculous to be overly concerned with manners. Lor'themar offered him the water-skin and he drank deeply before handing it back; pulling his blanket closer around himself, he studied the other in the firelight.

"If you'd found some kind of rich cargo aboard that ship, how would you have gotten it?" he asked, curiosity at what Lor'themar's plans might have been seeming like a safe enough topic of conversation.

"My ship is anchored on the other side of this island," Lor'themar explained, "When I snuck aboard the ship you were on I meant to discover what was valuable enough to warrant such a guard. In the morning my ship will sail around to this inlet and retrieve us, but had there been a cargo worth the cost of challenging the guard it would be very simple to catch up."

Lor'themar looked at him consideringly, as though Kael's question had reminded him of the strangeness of the circumstances in which they had met. "You know," he said slowly, "I seem to have introduced myself to you, but you haven't introduced yourself to me."

Kael felt like all the air had gone out of him, this was it. For a few moments he toyed with the idea of lying; making up a name and claiming to be some poor servant shipped off to mind the luggage. His own pride stopped him; he might no longer be a Prince but he was still himself.

"I am Kael'thas Sunstrider," he said, watching Lor'themar's face. He didn't know what kind of reaction he was expecting, but the lack of reaction on Lor'themar's part wasn't it. "You knew," he accused breathlessly, "You knew this whole time!"

"I suspected," Lor'themar agreed, "There were rumors, and having one passenger and their luggage be the subject of so much security, well…" he gestured broadly.

"Why didn't you say anything? What if I'd told you some different name?" Kael had to know.

"Then I'd call you by that name," Lor'themar said easily, "You have a right to your own privacy as much as anyone else, you majesty."

Kael was warmed by his words and the honest sentiment he could read in Lor'themar's face, but he felt the need to correct him. "I'm not a Prince," he said, "not anymore."

"Yes you are," Lor'themar countered, "you'll always be a Prince."

"Well, I'm not the Prince of anyone or anything, then," Kael said.

Lor'themar stared at him, and in the firelight the brown of his eyes seemed impossibly dark, "You could be my Prince," he said lowly.

The implications of his offer hit Kael'thas like a roaring wave; heat seemed to suffuse every part of him. As Kael stuttered and tried to think of some kind of reply, Lor'themar drew the case full jewels over to them. Carefully opening it he drew out fine hairpins and intricately wrought combs, heavy necklaces and bracelets that shimmered with precious stones or long strands of glowing pearls or amber or shimmering abalone.

He looked at Kael meaningfully, catching his gaze and holding it, waiting. Kael knew the choice was his now, to accept or not to accept. It was amazing how powerful it felt, to be able to choose, now, when he had thought every choice had been made for him. Lor'themar wanted him; they'd hardly known each other for more than a few hours but he wanted him, not because he was a Prince or a prize but because Lor'themar thought he was lovely and worth wanting.

He nodded, and Lor'themar carefully gathered Kael's hair from under the blanket where it had half-dried to his back and began to work at it with the combs, brushing through it gently and the pinning it back. He worked slowly, gently, and Kael wasn't sure what to think. After that he put the necklaces on Kael, fastening each one carefully around his neck. Then the bracelets, Lor'themar taking Kael's hands and holding him steady as he set them around his wrists.

There was something reverent about his adornment, the care that Lor'themar showed him making Kael shiver. When he was done he sat back and simply admired him. His eyes not following the strands of jewels but the fall of Kael's hair and the slope of his bare shoulders. Something about Lor'themar's manner made him feel inordinately precious and treasured.

For a time they simply sat there, Kael looking unsurely to Lor'themar as he was simply admired and nothing more. Their gazes caught again, and Kael realized he was waiting. It sent a rush through him—exhilarated, he nearly laughed—Lor'themar was waiting for him.

Moving suddenly, Kael threw his arms around Lor'themar's shoulders and kissed him. The response was immediate, Lor'themar pulling him close and holding him. They tangled together in the blankets, discovering each other's bodies.

Kael ended up straddling Lor'themar, the pirate staring up at him as if he were some unearthly being; it made him feel breathless and powerful, as though he were riding a thunderstorm and Lor'themar's hands firm and gentle on his hips were the only things holding him to the ground.

In the morning he woke up held tightly to Lor'themar's chest. Kael hadn't felt so warm and happy in a long time, and his mood seemed to be mirrored in Lor'themar. They regretfully extricated themselves from the tangle of blankets on the bedroll and got up. Kael began to search for the clasps on the numerous bracelets he wore, but Lor'themar stopped him.

"They're yours," he said, "you should wear them."

Putting on his plain trousers and shirt while he wore so much jewelry should have seemed silly, but instead Kael was struck by a sense of rightness. All of this was his, unwanted though his dowry might have been; it was his. When Lor'themar gave him the satchel holding the case with his jewels in it he took it gladly.

Walking down the beach in daylight was a completely different experience from walking up the beach at night. The morning breeze ruffled Kael's hair as they stood on the shore. A ship that could only be Lor'themar's was anchored in the inlet, and a small dinghy made its way to them. When it had reached the shallows and waited for them just beyond the breaker waves Lor'themar turned to him.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Kael beamed at him, "Yes, I am."

Lor'themar took Kael in his arms, lifting him easily and wading out to the small boat. The sound of waves and smell of the sea seemed beautiful.

* * *

Notes: So, the Pirate AU, it's heavily inspired by the 17th century pirate boom as well as the court of Quel'Thalas being very much like that of Louis XIV, the Sun King.


End file.
